JWT London study: U.K. men more multidimensional

Claudia Bhugra-Schmid , 6 February 2014

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Men are freer than ever to reject the shackles of “traditional” masculinity and choose the man they want to be.

It’s time for brands to start acknowledging, reflecting and appreciating the complexity of modern man, as we discussed in last year’s The State of Men report. According to more recent research from JWT London, 43 percent of U.K. men agree that their gender is more well-rounded today than it used to be. Take the fact that being married or in a committed relationship is actually more important to men (85 percent) than it is to women (79 percent). And expressing emotion is not just something most men say they’re now comfortable with, doing so is actually a source of pride (62 percent).

JWT London’s new report “Masculinity & Modernity: Investigating the Men of Britain Today” finds that men are freer than ever to reject the shackles of “traditional” masculinity and choose the man they want to be. Not only are they more emotionally emancipated, but men unabashedly take on traditionally feminine roles: rating highly in the “pride” stakes are home décor skills (77 percent) and prowess in the kitchen (74 percent). A substantial 71 percent even say they feel pride when completing household chores.

Still, while there has been much talk of gender-blurring and the feminization of men, being a good “bloke” hasn’t dropped off the agenda. DIY skills (78 percent) and the ability to fix technology (75 percent) rank highly, while carrying heavy items and taking an interest in sports (both 61 percent) also make it into men’s Top 10 things to be proud of. What JWT’s data suggests is that the modern British male is simply more multidimensional than is commonly credited.

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